Lived Experiences of Teachers in Coastal Areas toward Modular Instruction amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study explored the lived experiences of elementary teachers who were assigned in schools along coastal areas as they employed modular instruction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It inquired into the ways these teachers perceived modular instruction, their experiences with it, and the mechanisms they adopted as they met challenges brought by its abrupt implementation due to the pandemic. As a qualitative study, it utilized a profile questionnaire and in-depth interviews among 12 participants to gather the needed data and applied Collaizi’s method of phenomenological data analysis to interpret the same. Results revealed that the teacher-participants, regardless of age, sex, and the number of years in service, were all dedicated, committed, and passionate about teaching their students despite the new mode of instructional delivery as using modules was the only suitable and appropriate method of teaching in coastal areas. Their lived experiences were very much different from the experiences that they had in the traditional face-to-face classes because, despite the tight schedule and bundles of paperwork they faced every day (e.g., the printing of modules, accomplishing school reports, etc.), they still had to conduct house-to-house visitation to facilitate students’ learning while staying at home. Although they considered going to school and to their students’ homes as a risk to their health and to their own families, they remained faithful to their profession because they believed that it was only through modules that their students could learn amidst the pandemic. The study also showed that to be able to adapt to the new normal education, teachers in coastal areas should just embrace this peculiar learning setup, develop skills in time management, and be more flexible, resourceful, responsible, patient, and passionate.